adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the police border control unit have intercepted a contraband of 935 boxes of Kingdom 200 cigarettes with a street value of R2,3 million that was destined for South Africa.
The loot was found in a container coming from Harare to South Africa.
Police officer commanding Beitbridge district Chief Superintendent Patrick Majuta said they intercepted the truck at around 2pm on Monday.
He said they had charged the driver for smuggling and he would soon appear in court.
Chief Supt Majuta said the police were still pursuing another suspect involved in the racket.
He could not disclose the suspects’ name and the trucking company for fear of jeopardising investigations.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the suspect was hired by the owner of the trucking company, whom we are still pursuing, to transport the contraband to South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post,” said Chief Supt Majuta.
“The driver has indicated that he picked up the consignment from Masvingo.”
Chief Supt Majuta said while at Beitbridge Border Post the driver, working with his accomplice, declared to Zimra that the truck was empty.
But the contraband was discovered when the truck was about to leave Beitbridge for South Africa, leading to the arrest of the driver.
Online Reporter